Kanji Characters

Matumic

Matumic

How many Kanji Characters are taught throughout the emailed grammar lessons? So far, I just have the one grammar lesson. Cheers
Sayaka-Matsuura

Sayaka-Matsuura

With our weekly members newsletter you will learn a total of 52 individual kanji.
jppiov

jppiov

I've come across - for example in 4.10 of level 1 - questions in the quiz part that involve kanji characters that I couldn't possibly know, since they haven't been seen before.  The only option is therefore to simply guess.
Tony-S10

Tony-S10

Try and purchase the book Essential Kanji by P.G. Oneil. It is a brilliant book with over 2000 kanji with brush stroke, count, reading and examples. The book size is perfect not too big or too small and you will pick up kanji much more quickly and easily with this book. This book is like gold.
Nick Hoyt

Nick Hoyt

Hey Tony, I picked up a copy of Essential Kanji on your recommendation. Wow! It's awesome! I'm really impressed with how much is in it and the way it presents the Kanji. Thanks!
trutenor

trutenor

Yeah, I have owned this same book for years but didn't really start using it (more like couldn't understand it) until I started using Rocket.  I definitely have to agree with using this book alongside Rocket Japanese.  It works well.
VincentW

VincentW

お元気ですか?

Is Kanji the correct way to learn this phrase?

or

the hiragana version?

Thanks

 
Nick Hoyt

Nick Hoyt

お元気ですか? with the kanji is the most common way to see it. Good job!
VincentW

VincentW

Thank you for the prompt response.  Maybe I am ahead of myself, and
I'm learning the phrase, as written, as I go along. 

What's the difference between:

は  &  わ

for the wa sound?
Nick Hoyt

Nick Hoyt

When it comes to the "sound" they are both exactly the same: "WA"

The difference is in how they are each used. So, わ will only ever be used for the pronunciation of words. for example, the Japanese word for Telephone is でん. That is a situation where you will see and use the hiragana わ.

は on the other hand is used as the "topic particle" of a sentence. Basically, it will "mark" the topic of any given sentence. 

So in the sentence: 私ニックです。It would be pronounced like "WATASHI WA NIKKU DESU" (and it means "I am Nick") because "WATASHI" is the topic of that sentence. 

This is one of the unique things about the Japanese language: that it uses spoken particles. Obviously these particles are written too and for whatever reason, the Japanese decided to use the Hiragana は for the "WA topic marker." 

In English, we usually just emphasize words through tone and such to show which word is the topic of the sentence.

Does that make sense? Let me know. I hope that I was able to explain it clearly. 
VincentW

VincentW

It makes absolute sense; thanks for the most clear explanation on
any subjects that I have recently received.  You have a gift for teaching,
and I look forward to more to come.  
 

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